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THE JANISSARY by Alan Lloyd Gelb

THE JANISSARY

By

Pub Date: Nov. 10th, 1978
Publisher: Rawson, Wade--dist. by Atheneum

Gottfried Brauner's favorite book as a child was The Journey of the Janissary, and he modeled himself on its hero, remaining a pure virgin given to physical health. When he grew up and was given charge of a camp for burning Jews, he was happy. But in 1943 he foresees that the war is lost. Someone must survive to kill more Jews after the war. So he impregnates and kidnaps little Jewish Mimi Baum, then kills her after she delivers a son to him. Cut to: Baltimore, Maryland, in 1975. Elderly Herr Brauner is now a recluse who drugs and hypnotizes his son Albert to go out and murder Jews; each time the young psychopath must bring back a piece of gold, a ring or brooch, to testify to the murder. Albert is taking a course in psychology from pretty Paulette Baum (!) whose rich alcoholic lover Woody blows jazz trumpet but is a big pill. When Albert begins pursuing Panlette, first by heavy-breathing anonymous phone calls, then by making advances after class, she flees with Woody to his fancy mansion. But Woody's too drunk to love, and even the reader doesn't care when Albert dismembers him. Unaware of this, Paulette's home again. When Albert shows up, she almost rapes him, but he breaks down and goes home to Herr Brauner. The showdown is between Paulette and the Brauners in their horrible little house, and now Albert's ready to make blutwurst of her. Farfetched and foul.